Pallet with wireless transceiver for communicating pallet manifest, condition and location information

ABSTRACT

The inventions involve material handling apparatus including pallets developed to operate in radio frequency rich environments. Apparatus are provided having at least one large compartment capable of enclosing at least one electronic device or a package populated with a plurality of devices. Articles with attached RFID item tags are loaded onto the apparatus. The apparatus includes an RFID reader/writer interrogator for communicating with the RFID item tags to maintain a pallet manifest. The apparatus includes RFID pallet tags that communicate with the device, the RFID item tags and RFID beacon tags positioned within distributed RFID networks. The RFID pallet tags include sensors to monitor pallet conditions to which a pallet management system is responsive. The apparatus includes wireless transceivers for communicating indicative information through LAN, WLAN and Cellular communications networks. The apparatus includes a power resource in order to facilitate long term autonomous operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/704,612, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,948,371, which is a Division of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/152,628, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,342,496,which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/770,097 filed on Jan. 24, 2001, which claims the benefit, of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/177,382, filed Jan. 24, 2000. Thisapplication further claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/798,932 filed Mar. 11, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/803,681 filed on Mar. 12, 2001, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/196,127 filed onApr. 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,888. The disclosures of the aboveapplications are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to plastic pallets and in particular to plasticpallets developed to operate within radio frequency rich environments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pallets are used to move products through supply chains and to storeproducts between movements. Wood has been the preferred material ofpallet construction. A number of standard pallet sizes, such as theGrocery Manufacturers Association (“GMA”) style 48×40 inch pallet, havebeen used to facilitate the wide spread use of wooden pallets acrossdiffering distribution networks with some success. Such pallets areutilized in great numbers in what is known in industry as “palletexchange”. It is estimated that there are 2.2 billion wood pallets inNorth America.

Wooden pallets have problems. In particular, wooden pallets deterioratewith use and cause problems that add user costs. Fortune 500 companiesthat utilize large numbers of wooden pallets seek to overcome problemsassociated with deteriorating pallets by hiring wooden pallets frompallet rental companies. Pallet rental companies maintain large pools ofwooden pallets and repair damaged wooden pallets before they arere-used. Large users of wooden pallets have therefore been able tomanage their costs by transferring the burdens associated with woodenpallet deterioration and pallet exchange to other supply chain servicecompanies.

Although the business model used by pallet rental companies has enjoyedsome success, there have been problems. For example, it is difficult tokeep track of wooden pallets after they are let for hire. ChepInternational, the largest pallet pooling company, reportedly lost 14million wooden pallets, and booked a $238 million adjustment in itsfinancial reporting. These pallet tracking and other inherent woodenpallet problems have increased the need to modify business modelsrelating to the use of pallets for rental purposes.

For example, there are several business conditions and economic factorscombined with a convergence of technologies that have led to thecreation of track and trace technologies exemplified by the term RFID(radio frequency identification). RFID holds the promise of providingreal time supply chain visibility so that in the first instance palletrental companies would be able to track their rental assets and in thesecond instance so that pallet users could trace their product throughthe supply chain.

Implementation of RFID, in one respect, involves the attachment of atag, which contains a unique identification code, onto a pallet and adistributed network of tag readers. The tag readers associate a tag witha known location to determine the status or progress of the palletwithin the supply chain. In this manner, the pallet can be tracked andtraced with some accuracy, and the status of the pallet can be queriedand displayed according to well understood principles by industry.

Implementation of any RFID system is problematic with regard to woodenpallets. For instance, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/701,745,which is assigned to Chep International, it is suggested that a tag canbe positioned exteriorly upon a nine block GMA style 48×40 inch woodenpallet. Thus, as each tag is read its location would be known. There arehowever several problems with such an arrangement. In the firstinstance, it is known that wood absorbs liquid and liquids interferewith radio frequency signals. Therefore, the reliability ofcommunication between the reader and the tag could be compromised by thewooden materials utilized in the construction of the pallet. In a secondinstance, a tag that is exteriorly positioned upon a surface of a woodenpallet would be subject to a high level of the wear and tear. The impactof a fork tine against an exteriorly positioned tag could result in thedestruction of the tag and the loss of the data stored in the memory ofthe tag. In the final analysis, wood is not a suitable material forconstructing pallets that must work within radio frequency richenvironments.

As a result of some of the aforementioned circumstances and problemsindustry has attempted to utilize plastic materials in the constructionof pallets. The replacement of wood with plastic has had some successbut there have been problems associated with the use of plastic palletsthat are to be used in association with track and trace technologiesincluding RFID.

An early example of a plastic pallet that employees a data collectiondevice (i.e. a tag) to provide a track and trace capability is describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,592 to Kralj et al. In this cited reference thedata collection devices are contained in cavities located on each sideof the four corners of the pallet. The apparent need for a tag in eachcorner is due to the short interrogation range of the readers of theday. In this arrangement a plurality of tags are required which would bemore costly than an arrangement in which only one tag is required.

Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,488 to Favaron et al., a plasticpallet with two RFID cards (i.e. tags) is shown and described. The cardsare positioned at angles and in the opposite corners so that at leastone card is in communication range with a detector (i.e. a reader) froma side position (i.e. from a portal column or fork lift mounted reader).Although the Favaron et al. arrangement utilizes fewer tags than theKralj et al. arrangement, Favaron et al. nevertheless utilizes more thanone tag which is less economical than the use of one tag. A similararrangement, requiring two or more tags, is disclosed in more thoroughdetail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,089, which was filed Nov. 12, 2001, and isassigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company.

Presumably, the arrangements suggested by Kralj et al. would be morereliable than the arrangement of application '745 because the devices ofKralj et al. are enclosed within the structures forming the pallet andtherefore are less susceptible than exteriorly mounted tags to damagefrom fork impacts, wear and tear and the like. Furthermore, Kralj et al.would be more reliable than Favaron et al. because although Favaron etal. contemplates the containment of the tag within the body of thepallet, the Favaron et al. arrangement could allow liquids and otherdebris to penetrate into and accumulate within a socket wherein the tagof Favaron et al. is located. Liquids and debris within the socket coulddamage the tag or result in unreliable communication between the tag andthe reader.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,434, which is assigned to IFCO Systems, anotherpallet rental company, it is suggested that the delicate components of atransponder (i.e. a tag) can be protectively housed inside a plasticcasing. The casing containing the delicate transponder could besubsequently positioned inside an injection mold and incorporated safelyinto an injection molded component forming part of a plastic pallet.This arrangement would protect the tags and overcome the problemassociated with Favaron et al, wherein the tags are indirectly exposedto wear and tear.

Although the arrangements encasing the RFID tags within the plasticpallet embodiments cited above offer levels of protection superior tothe method of application '745, such arrangements nevertheless haveadditional problems. In particular, in order to remove, replace orrepair the tags of the prior art references, the plastic palletsthemselves would have to be deconstructed or destroyed to provide accessto the tags. Accordingly, the prior art does not contemplate anefficient means to either replace defective or damaged tags or toupgrade long lasting plastic pallets with new tags incorporatingenhanced capabilities as these become available. It should be noted thata plastic pallet can have a life span of +/−ten years, which length oftime may easily exceed the lifecycle of a deployed RFID technology.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,287 to Chang et al. a pallet apparatus equippedwith a radio frequency recognition module is described. In a firstwooden pallet embodiment the module comprises a molded cup forming acompartment that receives a tag. The cup is covered by a cap to enclosethe tag inside the compartment. The module is inserted into a cavityformed in a block or stringer of the wooden pallet. In a second plasticpallet embodiment, the module comprises a removable clip for holding atag and the clip attaches to the exterior of the plastic pallet. Bothembodiments provide an efficient means for accessing a tag withoutdeconstructing or destructing the pallet itself. However, in both casesthe module could become detached from the associated pallet resulting inthe loss of data and possibly the pallet.

In the above cited references two or more tags are suggested so thatinformation can be obtained from at least one tag. However, in order towrite information into the two or more tags, the tags would have to besynchronized with one another. This adds complexity to theimplementation of RFID methods and systems. When only a single tag isattached to one side of a pallet, the pallet itself could become anobstacle. In this case the pallet would need to be rotated so that thepallet side with the tag faces the reader. Rotating the pallet is timeconsuming.

Accordingly, it has been suggested that a tag can be positionedsubstantially in the center region of the pallet. For example,publication document Netherlands 9401836 proposes locating a tag in thecenter of a pallet and mounting readers on the tines of a fork lift toenable the reader to communicate with the tag. This arrangement is notamenable to reading the tag from the side through a portal mountedreader. For example, the metal tines could block signals intended forthe tag. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/962,574, a preferredembodiment involves forming a through hole penetrating from one to theother side of the pallet, and positioning a tag inside the through holein the vicinity of the middle of the pallet. The through hole ischaracterized as a transmission pathway for radio frequencies travelingbetween the tag and the reader. One problem with application Ser. No.10/962,574 is that the through hole could collect debris that couldimpair the operability of the tag.

As discussed above, the life cycle of a plastic pallet may exceed theuseful life cycle of a tag technology. Therefore, it would beadvantageous in the adaptation of the plastic pallet to anticipatereplacement of earlier tags with technologically up-dated tags. In U.S.Pat. No. 6,844,857, assigned to Linpac Moulding, it has been suggestedthat a recess, provided with a cover, could be developed to enable theremoval and exchange of a circuit (i.e. tag IC) to program the circuitwith current data or to exchange the circuit in the case of damage ormalfunction or to update tag technology. Although the arrangement doesnot contemplate the destruction of the plastic pallet to access the tagIC, the recess of U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,857 is not developed toaccommodate more than one tag IC at a time. This is a problem becausethere is a need to provide pallets with a plurality of tags so that thepallet can function across non-interoperable RFID systems existingwithin the supply chain.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,076, assigned to Allibert Equipment, theadvantage of providing a plastic pallet with a tag holder (i.e. arecess) is offered. The tag holder is an open design and provides aneasy way to change a tag. The carrier (i.e. pallet) disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,816,076 also contemplates the use of first and second tagsinvolving a relay relationship, in which the antenna of the second tagis operable to increase the read range of the first tag. Such anarrangement is impractical because the first tag incorporated into theplastic pallet that contains the unique pallet ID becomes redundant oncethe unique ID of the first tag is associated with the unique ID of thesecond tag.

What is needed is a plastic pallet that is adapted to operate in a radiofrequency rich environment. In particular, the pallet must be able toprotect RF devices from wear and tear. Where practical, only one tagindicative of a first characteristic should be required, not two tags asis known in the art. The pallet must also provide access to the devicesfor any number of purposes as would be anticipated in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention a pallet is provided that isamenable to operating in an RF-rich environment. Towards this end thematerials utilized to construct the pallet comprise materials that aresubstantially transparent to RF signals so that RF signals may passthrough the materials utilized to construct the pallet.

It is another object to provide a pallet product with multiple uniqueidentification codes so that a plurality of components each withindividual IDs can be combined to form a single product having its ownunique product ID. This aspect allows a variety of parties to enjoymultiple levels of product identification.

It is another object to provide the pallet with at least one compartmentto accommodate identification devices therein. According to this aspect,in one embodiment, the compartment is created as part of the palletstructure and is located in a position that enables the compartment tooccupy a large space to accommodate at least one large identificationdevice.

It is another object to provide an identification device that takesadvantage of the large size of the compartment of the pallet. Towardthis end the identification device is formed to reside in three planeswithin the compartment to communicate with external RF apparatuspositioned adjacent said pallet. In another aspect the multi-planardevice is also multi-modal such that the device operateselectromagnetically and electrostatically. In another aspect themulti-planar device is multi-band such that the device operates atdifferent frequency bands used within the supply chain.

It is another object to provide a pallet that accommodatesidentification apparatus that omits a distributed network of readerdevices to facilitate communication between a pallet ID device and aremote host. Toward this end a pallet includes an apparatus populatedwith at least one of a cellular communications module, a GPScommunications module, a Bluetooth communications module, a LANcommunications module, a PCS communications module, an interrogationmodule or any other wireless communications means module as may beanticipated looking forward into the future wherein apparatus isprovided to enable close range (up to 10 yards), intermediate range (upto 300 yards) and long range (to several miles) air interfacecommunications without relying upon cable or wire connections. In stillfurther connection with this aspect, a pallet is provided that couplessaid wireless communication devices, including RFID tags and the like,with sensors to monitor conditions indicative of at least one particularexternal environmental factor.

It is another object to provide a pallet that includes an RFIDreader/writer interrogator for reading and writing to external RFIDbeacon tags, internal RFID pallet tags and RFID item tags carried by thepallet. The RFID reader/writer interrogator is integrated with one ormore communications modules for communicating out of RFID range withpallet management entities. The RFID reader/writer interrogator includesan antenna arrangement having a signal pattern directed to atransporting and storage area for containing the articles with attachedRFID item tags to maintain a real-time manifest of pallet inventory. Thepallet's RFID reader/writer interrogator is configured to be responsiveto the addition and removal of articles with attached RFID item tagsupon the load-bearing surface of the pallet. The RFID reader/writerinterrogator is additionally communicatively coupled to RFID pallet tagsfor the purpose of obtaining RFID pallet tag data to which the system isresponsive. The RFID reader/writer interrogator includes further antennaarrays for communicative coupling with RFID beacon tags positioned alongthe distribution path of the pallet. RFID beacon tag data obtained bythe pallet's RFID reader/writer interrogator is aggregated with the dataobtained from the RFID item tags and RFID pallet tags and packaged forcommunication via the one or more communications modules to the palletmanagement entities.

It is another object to provide the pallet with a power resource forautonomous operation. Towards this end a power supply is used to providepower to the components of the pallet apparatus. The power supply caninclude a battery, a rechargeable battery, and a renewable power supplythat optionally rectifies voltage generated by antenna coils into storedenergy or an electro-mechanical device that develops storable energywhen the pallet is agitated by movement. The power supply is a powerresource for active RFID pallet tags, the RFID reader/writerinterrogator and the communications modules of the pallet apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be more readily appreciated as the same become better understoodfrom the following detailed description when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a GMA style 48×40 inch pallet includinga compartment in the deck structure;

FIGS. 2 3 and 4 represent an exploded sectional view of deck structureof the pallet indicated at the position 20 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the deck structure of the palletshowing the three sheets of a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the underside of the deck structure and aside elevation view showing the deck structure from the 48-inch side ofa pallet;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation section of the deck taken from the centerregion of the pallet;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation section of the base of the pallet of FIG. 1taken from the center region of the pallet;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of one embodiment of an RFID tag comprising threesections and showing within each section a plurality of antennastructures;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the prior art of a basic RFID system;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the complexity of overlappingnon-interoperable basic RFID systems;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the invention wherein a cellularnetwork is used to provide a communication link between a pallet IDdevice and a supply chain host;

FIG. 13 is a side elevation section showing the combination of the deckand the base of FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively wherein the ID devices andcommunications modules of the invention are protectively housed withinthe compartments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a section of a fuel tank for moving vehiclesshowing an electronic device with a RFID device, a wirelesscommunications module, a sensor module, a sensor assembly, an actuatorand a power supply.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic equipmentinside the upper compartment of the pallet shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a schematic showing the RFID pallet tag, RFID reader/writerinterrogator and communications modules receiving power from the batteryand power resource.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present embodiments of pallet structures are merely representativeof the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit thescope of the invention or application and uses of the invention.Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed orimplied theory presented in the preceding technical filed, background,or brief summary of the following detailed description. For example, thepallet structures can be made of any plastic, wood, metal, cellulosematerial or combination thereof. The pallet structures may be injectionmolded, blow molded, compression molded, differential pressure formed,stamped, die-cut, fabricated and assembled, welded, and bonded together.The pallets can take the form of GMA style 48×40 inch pallets,nine-legged nestable pallets, shipping trays, returnable dunnage and thelike. Other products falling within the scope of the invention includeIBCs, RPCs, ULDs, fuel tanks and the like.

One preferred embodiment involves exemplary pallet structure 2comprising a combination of plastic forming techniques as will bedescribed below. Further, the present exemplary pallet structure is inthe form of a GMA style 48×40 inch pallet. By way of description the GMAstyle pallet has the specifications listed below:

-   -   1. Exact 48-inch×40-inch dimensions. Square in each direction.    -   2. True four-way entry. Capable of accommodating existing pallet        jacks from all four sides (as opposed to current style with        cutouts and stringers).    -   3. Minimum-width pallet jack openings of 12 inches and minimum        height of 3¾ inch clearance when under load. Width of each        center support must be less than six inches to accommodate        pallet jacks.    -   4. Smooth, non-skid, top-bearing surface should have at least        85% coverage. However, 100% is preferred. Non-skid surface        should be flat, or have no indentations or protrusions that        could cause product damage.    -   5. Bottom-bearing surface of no less than 60% coverage with        properly placed cut-outs (12-inches square) for pallet jack        wheels from four sides. Surface should be flat or have no        indentations or protrusions that could cause product damage.    -   6. All bottom entry edges should be chamfered to ¼-inch for easy        entry and exit.    -   7. Overall height of platform should not exceed six inches.    -   8. Rackable from both the 48-inch and 40-inch dimensions.        Allowable deflection in drive-in and drive through racks no more        than ½ inch.    -   9. Compatible with pallet conveyors, pallet dispensers,        skate-wheel pallet-flow racks, and automatic storage and        retrieval systems.    -   10. No protruding fasteners.    -   11. Must be made of material that does not contaminate the        product it carries.    -   12. Must meet or exceed current pallet resistance to fire.    -   13. Must be recyclable. Preferably made of recycled material.    -   14. Desired weight under 50 pounds.    -   15. Load capacities of 2,800 pounds. Capable of bearing        2,800-pound loads safely in stacks five loads high.    -   16. Repairs should be economically feasible.    -   17. Weather resistant.    -   18. Moisture resistant.    -   19. Capable of safely moving product, damage free, through the        entire distribution channel with multiple cycles (from        manufacturer through distributor to retail).

The exemplary pallet structure of the invention comprises two partsincluding a deck 4 and a base 6. Together the deck and the base form theGMA style pallet 8. The pallet structure 2 contains at least oneidentification device 10, for example a radio frequency identificationdevice (RFID) 12 or a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device 14, althoughthe one identification device may be any one of a tag, a capsule, alabel, a printed circuit board (PCB), and the like that communicateswirelessly without limitation by employing antennas instead of cables.Preferably a first device 16 identifies the deck and a second device 18identifies the base. Preferably each part (i.e. the deck and base) isgiven a unique identification, and this ID record is indicated by thetwo respective identification devices 16 and 18. The parts are combinedto create one product 8. The one product is also given a uniqueidentification distinct from the IDs of the associated parts. Therefore,the pallet 2 has a plurality of IDs, and in the present case three: afirst ID for the deck, a second ID for the base and a third ID for thecombination product.

The IDs of the exemplary pallet are characterized as first level IDs,second level IDs, third level IDs and so on. In the present case the twopart IDs are level one IDs, and the one combination product ID is alevel two ID. By way of example, a pallet, with ID number 1006, isassociated with the combination of deck, with ID number 101, and base,with ID number 203. Unique pallet ID number 1006 expires when theassociation of ID numbers 101 and 203 ends. The association ends forexample when the deck is reconfigured with a new base, providing a new(up-graded or customized) product. A new unique second level ID is givento the new combination product when the new association is made.

Preferably, both the first and second level IDs are evident in eachidentification device utilized in each part. In other words, eachidentification device contains code space for at least two IDs. However,when a product involves only one part the device can have a non-volatilememory or record, therefore getting by with only one unique ID. Such acase is only exemplary.

A pallet may also require a unique third level ID as discussed below. Inone scenario the pallet is made by a first company and sold to a secondcompany. The second company utilizes the pallet for internal use i.e.closed-loop purposes. The first company (i.e. the manufacturer) willhave a permanent record of a production date, performance specificationand material content in the unique first and second level IDs of theparts and product, respectively, sold to the second company. The secondcompany (i.e. the end user) will know at least the second level ID forwarranty purposes and the like should the second company return thepallet to the first company for recycling and the like. The secondcompany will also have a dynamic record of the status associated with atleast the second level ID or another third level ID if the second levelID is not interoperable within the end user's operating environment (inother words the end user may place another ID device inside the pallet,the second device operating in another mode or frequency band than thefirst). Therefore, the second company may use a third level ID toassociate the pallet within its deployed track and trace system. In asecond scenario the manufacturer sells the known parts and product to asecond party that leases the product to third parties. A third party mayrequire a unique third or fourth level ID to indicate a customizedcharacteristic indicative of the product. For example, a third party maymonitor external temperature to know the shipping status of a unit load.The information indicative of temperature is associated with a uniquethird or fourth level ID that is distinct from the first and secondlevel IDs associated with the parts and pallet product. Hence, a palletproduct may have a plurality of unique IDs.

Therefore, one now appreciates that a pallet must be configured tocomply with the GMA performance specifications while at the same timeinteroperating within a variety of RF-rich environments.

For this purpose the exemplary pallet of FIG. 1 is suggested. Pallet 2is known as a GMA style 48×40 inch pallet 8 and complies with all 19 GMAperformance specifications listed above. Pallet 2 comprises a deck part4 and a base part 6. The deck and base snap together to provide a singlepallet product 8.

Although the deck and base can be constructed utilizing any combinationof materials and formed using any forming technique, the preferredstructure is primarily based upon differential pressure forming, whichis some times known as thermoforming or vacuum forming. In the presentcase, the deck and base are thermoformed according to the triple sheetmethod, but twin sheet forming can be used with satisfaction. Boththermoforming arts are known in the patent record.

Triple sheet is preferred over twin sheet for several reasons, whichwould be known by referring to co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,749,418 and6,718,888. Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a section 20 of deck isseen comprising three sheets of molded plastic. A top sheet 22 providesa flat surface 24 to provide up to 100 percent surface coverage forsupporting unit loads thereon (not shown). A middle sheet 26 and abottom sheet 28 together provide a load bearing platform 30 and aplurality of double walled leg pockets 32 that support the platformabove the base, to allow for the introduction of fork tines, palletjacks and the like, which are used to move the pallet. The leg pockets32 may be rectangular, square, round or oval in shape. The structure ofa triple sheet configuration results in a hybrid honeycomb arrangementthat yields a stronger strength to weight ratio than a twin sheetstructure using an equivalent measure of plastic material. Furthermore,the method is preferred because sheet 22 provides a flat load supportsurface 34 while the two other sheets 26 and 28 form a rigid platform 30and double walled leg pockets 32 (a twin sheet structure would have lessthan 100 percent surface coverage if the top sheet was deformed toprovide double walled legs and therefore could not comply withspecifications 4 and 15 simultaneously). Double walled legs support ahigher static load than a single walled leg using the same measure ofplastic. A higher strength to weight ratio is preferred for familiareconomic reasons.

The present embodiment of triple sheet deck is preferred because theadded strength of the structure allows the thermoforming practitioner toutilize an all plastic material combination rather than two sheets ofplastic plus captive cross-members that would be required to addstrength to comply with specification 8 for rack strength. All plasticis preferred because some materials used to construct the cross membersmay block or interfere with the transmission of RF signals. The crossmembers also add cost and complexity to the making, maintenance andrecycling of the pallet structure.

In the present exemplary case the middle sheet incorporates a series ofangles 36 arranged in the 48 inch direction of the 48×40 inch deck,although the angles can be arranged in the 40 inch direction withsatisfaction. The angles extend between and fuse to the top sheet andthe bottom sheet in a repeating manner between the opposed sides 38 aand 38 b that are 40 inches apart, and thus maintain the top sheet andthe bottom sheet a fixed distance apart (+/−1.5 inches). There may be asmany as 80 angles or as few as 20 angles extending from side to side ina 48×40 inch pallet foot print. The angles are interrupted in ninelocations 40 designated for leg pockets, although any number of legpockets or parallel runners falls within the scope of the invention. Thebottom sheet incorporates a series of rigidifying blocks 42 that arepositioned in line 44 to restrict the angles from bending, like anaccordion, when the structure is loaded. The blocks may be short ortall, extending less than or the full height of the angles. The blocksare further aligned as suggested in FIG. 6, so that the blocks create anin-line ribbed structure 46 adding additional reinforcementsubstantially perpendicular to the stronger 48 inch direction (i.e. inthe 40 inch direction).

Although angles 36 are preferred, any rigidifying methodology may beused with satisfaction. The angles are preferred because they are shownto provide the best strength characteristics, as would be known byreferring to an article entitled “Plate-Stiffening” written by K.Lowenfeld, published in Der Maschinenmarkt (Wurzburg, Germany), which isincorporated hereunder by such reference.

The base is also constructed according to the triple sheet method,although twin sheet can be used satisfactorily. The base is joined tothe deck at a leg interface 48 by a snap fit arrangement 50. The baseincludes 4 square cutouts 52 that are intended to accommodate the wheelsof a pallet jack or the like, which move the pallet.

As indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8 the deck and base of the exemplary GMAstyle pallet is adapted for operation in an RF-rich environment. Inparticular, the deck and base incorporate compartments 54 and 56respectively, and the compartments are adapted to receive and enclosedelectronic devices as will be described later.

With respect to compartments 54 and 56, it will be appreciated that thecompartments are situated in the location of the center region 58 of thepallet structures, although one or more compartments may be formed inanother location 60 corresponding to any one of the nine legs (i.e. inany deep structures) of the exemplary pallet. Additionally, compartmentsmay be formed in locations between the leg pockets, depending upon thepreferences of the practitioner. For example, if the pallet embodimentis a nesting style pallet in which case the legs inter-nest forconsolidated shipment and storage, the compartment can be incorporatedon a top or bottom surface of such a pallet embodiment.

It will also be understood by those familiar with the art ofthermoforming that the threaded aspects 62 of the compartments can onlybe provided through novel intervention as will be described in referenceto an exemplary triple sheet molding methodology. With respect to thedeck, it should be known that the preferred thermoforming arrangement isone in which the bottom sheet 28 is first formed over a first mold (andthe second mold is used as a plug-assist to help form the exterior legstructure 64 of the deep leg pocket having an approximate +/−4:1 drawratio). Next the middle sheet 26 is formed over a second mold havingdeep leg pocket portions (not shown) in order to allow the cantenaryeffect of the heated sheet 26 to benefit the forming thereof. After thefirst and second sheets are thermoformed they are brought together in atwin sheet phase and compressed together by opposed platens between thefirst and second molds to make a twin sheet sub-assembly (not shown).The twin sheet sub assembly is extracted from the sheet line when alower platen carrying the first mold is lowered to make way for thethird sheet that is thermoformed over a third mold suspended from a topplaten in a position parallel and vertically aligned with the firstplaten. When the twin sheet sub assembly is in the extracted position ashuttle apparatus known in the art delivers an injection molded insert66 to a selected location 68 and deposits the insert onto the middlesheet, where formed details 70 of the middle sheet retain the insert ina fixed location upon the twin sheet sub-assembly. (The insert is notlimited in size in the 48 or 40 inch directions.) After the third sheetis thermoformed over the third mold the first platen extends upward intothe sheet line where after the twin sheet sub-assembly is compressedagainst the third sheet between the first and third molds to form aninstant triple sheet assembly 72. During the “triple sheet” phase theheated third sheet and heated second sheet are caused to fuse to theexterior surfaces 74 of the insert. The insert is thereby incorporatedinto the triple sheet assembly. After the triple sheet assembly isextracted from the thermoforming machine a trimming router or the likeremoves a section 76 of material of the third sheet to provide acompartment opening 78, thereby exposing threads 80 formed in theinsert, which threads are adapted to receive a cover 82 as will bedescribed later.

It should be noted that the exemplary insert can be incorporated into atriple sheet, twin sheet or single sheet article. Furthermore, theexemplary insert can be incorporated interiorly (as shown) orexteriorly, depending upon the preference of the practitioner. Theinsert can involve threads positioned annularly on an inside (as shown)or outside surface, and the threads can be substituted with anystructure that will receive and retain with security a removable coverin place to enclose the compartment.

In the present exemplary pallet the compartment is formed in the centerregion of the pallet so that identification and other electronic devicessituated within a respective compartment thereof are substantiallyequidistant from a device reader positioned adjacent the pallet, forexample a hand held, portal or fork lift mounted reader Furthermore, thecompartment is formed in the center region of the exemplary palletbecause the deep leg pocket structure of the pallet affords more spacefor the compartment than would be the case if the compartment wherelocated in a position between the leg pockets. GMA specifications callfor a deck 4 thickness of 1.5 inches, a base thickness of 0.75 inchesand an overall pallet height of 6 inches. This provides a fork liftopening 84 between the deck and base of 3.75 inches, allowing a maximum0.250 inch for deflection to remain within GMA tolerance. Therefore, thedeck and base structures of a GMA type pallet do not have the thicknessto allow for a deep compartment. By developing a compartment in the legsof a pallet the compartment can be considerably larger allowing for theuse of larger identification devices and even a plurality of devices, aswill be described later.

Therefore the leg pockets are utilized to increase the size capacity ofthe compartment. In the present embodiment, the depth of thecompartments 54 and 56 of the deck and base are 4 inches and 1.5 inches,respectively. A compartment formed otherwise in the platform section ofthe deck would be +/−1.25 inches in depth, and a compartment formed inthe base would be +/−0.5 inches, while allowing for the thickness of thepallet material.

It is advantageous to provide a large compartment because there is aneed to accommodate at least one large ID device plus other devices andsensors as will be described below.

Tags communicate with a reader through an antenna. Tags exist in allforms, shapes and sizes. A number of factors determines the form, shapeand size of the antenna, whether it is a small (postage stamp) planarantenna, a small capsule or cylindrical antenna, a label antenna of anytype, a printed circuit board, a formed (helical, notched) aerialantenna and the like, as well as passive, active or active/passiveantenna. Any combination and variety of antenna, whether deposited on acarrier or formed from a conductor can be accommodated within thecompartment. The antennas can also be orientated vertically,horizontally, or diagonally with respect to the reader's signal pattern,broadly interpreted.

Therefore, the compartment should be as large as possible to accommodatea wide range of antenna in a number of different orientations suitablefor tag to reader data exchange.

For example, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) (e.g., 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz)electromagnetic tags are preferred in association with pallets becauseof their relatively long range abilities. Lower frequency (e.g., 125kHz, 13.56 MHz) electrostatic tags are preferred for close rangeinventory or shelving applications requiring good signal carrierreflection. However, all frequency bands and modes of operation (i.e.electromagnetic, electrostatic, acoustic) are intended to be used by anypossible identification device that may be located in the compartment inorder to monitor the pallet and its unit load through all stages of thedisparate supply chain.

Lower frequency antennas are comparably large in relation to UHFantennas. Low frequency tags are characterized by label style structuresin which a low conductivity ink may be applied to a lower cost substrateto provide a planar antenna that is non-resonant. Such a tag antennamay, by way of example only, be 2×2 inches in size and less than 1/32inches in cross section. Furthermore, when the low frequency tag antennais increased in size the range typically increases. Therefore, thelarger the compartment, the larger the antenna that can be protectivelyaccommodated inside the pallet, and therefore the greater the tag readrange. Increased read range is regarded as beneficial in most cases.

Furthermore, it is known that when the conventional antennas of thereader and the tag are perpendicular to the direction of the signal thatthere is more effective communication there between the two. Therefore,the tag antenna structures may preferably occupy designated space insidethe compartment to facilitate a preferred reader to tag orientation. Inassociation with this requirement, one low frequency tag may containthree antennas in three orientations, as will be discussed below.

Readers 86 may be fixed, mounted or hand held. In a first setting theremay be a portal arrangement in which the reader comprises a readerantenna array 88 a situated on vertical column. A preferred tag antennaorientation 92 for this setting would be vertical. In a second settingthe reader antenna array 88 b may be situated above or below the pathtraveled by the tag, and the favored tag antenna orientation 94 would behorizontal. In a third setting the reader antenna array 88 c is mountedon a fork lift, and the preferred vertical tag antenna orientation 98may be perpendicular to vertical orientation 92. In order to facilitatethe full range of preferred tag orientations 92 94 and 98 it may benecessary to rotate the pallet 90° in order to provide properorientation in any of the three settings suggested. Alternatively it maybe helpful to provide a tag that is best orientated parallel to thedirection of the signals, as is known in the art in connection with RFIDsystems for books, file folders and the like. As this extra work orcorrection would be inconvenient and slow the pace of the pallet'smovement through the supply chain an antenna 100 can be segmented intothree sections 102, 104 and 106 such that the tag substrate is folded asindicated at 108, along creases 110. Additionally, the tag may bestructured so that on each of the three surfaces there is, by way ofexample only, a multi-frequency antenna array 112 a, 112 b and 112 c,comprising a low frequency antenna 114 and high frequency antennas 116and 118. The three antenna arrays 112 are connected to a tag moduleindicated 120 including at least an IC to provide a unique ID andcircuitry for coupling the antenna arrays 112 with a wide range ofreaders and reader positions as the pallet moves throughout the supplychain. Therefore to insure the pallet is able to move through differentsettings it would be important that the compartment facilitate a numberof larger rather than a smaller antenna and orientations (i.e. “X”, “Y”and “Z” planes) of the present invention.

By way of further explanation, the antenna arrays 112 can be sub-dividedfurther into discreet antenna structures such that the antennastructures on each surface can communicate within different frequencybands, such as with a dipole antenna wherein one pole 116 resonating at915 MHz communicates with a first reader and a second pole 118resonating at 2.45 GHz communicates with a second reader. In thisfashion the tag can be developed to communicate with a plurality ofreaders distributed throughout the supply chain.

The identification device of FIG. 9, indicates a top view of a labelstyle RFID device 122 comprising at least one of a substrate layer 124,a dielectric layer 126, a conductive layer 128, and adhesive layer 130and a printed layer 132 to provide semi rigid carrier 134 onto which antag module (IC) 120 is attached. Other circuitry may also be included inthe module or associated with the module on the carrier to switch fromone antenna frequency band to another or to communicate over more thanone frequency simultaneously. There are three sections 102, 104 and 106made evident when the tag 122 is formed (for example steel rule die).The three sections are made along crease lines 110 that permit thecarrier to be orientated parallel with the reader antenna arrays inthree planes. The carrier fold is retained in place by male and femaletabs 138 and 140 or any other means forming three antenna bearingplanes. Such an arrangement enjoys superior communication with amultitude of reader positions.

It may also be recognized that the first identification device maycoexist with a second communication device. Hence the need for capacityin the size of the compartment. For example, futurists project a 10percent improvement in world wide GDP as a consequence of the deploymentof wireless communications involving RFID, sensors and actuators.

Therefore, whether the identification device uses band width in the 830megahertz (cellular), 13.56 megahertz (RF), 1.6 gigahertz (GPS), 1.7-1.9gigahertz (PCS), 2.4 gigahertz (Bluetooth), 5.8 gigahertz (IEEE802.1standard for LAN) or surface acoustic wave (SAW), the antenna(s) thereofcan be accommodated inside the compartment.

The prior art of RFID is indicated in FIG. 10 in which a distributednetwork of readers 142 is deployed to convey data to and from a host 144and a plurality of tags 146. Today's ID devices including FRID tags areadapted to flourish in the “ideal” reader distributed network 142, wheremiddleware can diagnose and use the data for operational purpose,broadly defined, captured by the system. In the real world however, theRF environment is really indicated by FIG. 11, in which there are amultitude of competitive, proprietary and legacy non-interoperatingsystems including overlapping distributed reader networks 148, aplurality of non-interactive hosts 150 and a multitude of incompatibletags 152, plus transnational jurisdictional constraints. Together theseelements have withheld consensus on a universal agreement on protocolstandards.

Accordingly, “next” generation systems of the inventions hereof areindicated, by way of example, in FIG. 12, in which a pallet communicatesdirectly through a cellular network 154 to a network host 156, withoutusing the distributed network of readers. (Several cellular systemsexist to encourage competition of service.) There may be local areainterrogators associating the pallet within the a local area supplychain to identify the unit load (i.e. items having associated optical,acoustic or RF identification devices), but the cellular equipment onboard the pallet obviates the need to establish distributed networks ofreaders and is more efficient as the cellular networks already exist.

The association of sensors with local and far range communicators isalso contemplated in the present invention. For example, a secondidentification device 160 could be provided on a id circuit board 162,also comprising RF tags for conventional track and trace functionality,for far range wireless communication capability. In one setting acustomized pallet is utilized in the storage and transportation of ahazardous material in a multi warehouse supply chain. Each customizedpallet is adapted to comply with standards within the jurisdiction thatrelate to the safekeeping of the hazardous material, such that externalenvironmental conditions, including high temperature exposure, althoughany external condition or indicator could be monitored, are recorded inreal time, such that upon the occurrence of a catastrophic high heatevent the second communication device 160 could send out a 911 emergencycall to effect the implementation of an emergency protocol. Therefore,in one embodiment the pallet may include a thermo graphic sensor 164 inthe base 6 to monitor temperature and upon detection of indications ofhigh or low temperature outside a proscribed range, actuates a LANcommunicator 166 in said base to transmit a signal to a LAN receiver 168in the deck 2, wherein circuitry actuates a cellular communicator 170 todispatch a 911 signal in association with a unique identification codeto identify the pallet and its unit load along with external temperatureconditions. Such a capability would improve the productivity ofemergency responders and reduce the consequences of environmental damageand distress on a community in the event of hazardous materialaccidents.

In the present case the second communication device 160 is not developedto communicate with a host over the 2.4 GHz or the 5.8 GHz bands becauseof the intermediate read ranges of these frequencies (although in otherembodiments of pallets more than one band may be utilized for local use,such as by fire and emergency respondents, who within range of 100 yardswould be able to read “emergency instruction” signals emanating from thepallet over a Bluetooth hand held or on-board LAN vehicle communicationsystem.) For Example, the pallet may be on the move from one plant toanother and there would be a need to communicate instantaneouslyhundreds of miles in the event of an accident. To achieve this purposethe second identification device includes at least a second antenna,such an 830 megahertz helical coil antenna 172 operating in a cellularfrequency band that can send a signal generated by the 911 protocolcontained in the IC. The cellular communications components could existwithin a separate module added to an identification device or couldpopulate the circuit board along with other devices and modules of theidentification device.

The cellular module 170 would be low cost. One must remember that thereare 2.2 billion pallets in use in North America. The demand world widefor cellular enabled pallets could be in range of hundreds of millions,providing sufficiently large economies in scale to reduce the cost ofsimple cellular devices considerably. The embodied cellular moduleexcludes at least one of a touch pad, a screen, a mouthpiece, a speaker,a camera, a vibrator, and a plastic housing which all add costs, andonly includes a circuit board and at least one of atransmitting/receiving antenna (i.e. 172), a digital signal processor, amemory chip, a identification reader card, circuitry, and one of aninternal or an external power supply. In deed, the cellular module wouldbe disposable to extent that the value added benefits of remote datatransfer would be captured by the cellular network host through the saleof used band width or the like over a period of use, as is the routinewith cellular telephony. One would assume the cellular module would begiven away to lock up the income stream that will result from a servicecontract involving the use of digital bandwidth.

Other devices that may populate the circuit board(s) in the respectivecompartments of a pallet are suggested in FIG. 13 in which at least oneof the following components are contemplated: power supplies 174(including conventional batteries, mechanical renewable power supplydevices, solar batteries and RF energy harvesting apparatus); antennaarrays 176; Bluetooth communications modules 178; LAN communicationsmodules 180; PCS communications modules 182; cellular communicationsmodules 184; GPS communications modules 186; an interrogation module188; RFID communications modules or tags 190; sensor modules 192; sensorprobe assemblies 194; integrated circuitry and memory devices 196.

Referring now to FIG. 14 there is seen a fuel tank 198, such as a fueltank for an automobile, containing an ID device 200 selected from agroup of at one of a passive tag, a battery-powered semi-passive tag oran active tag. In addition, the fuel tank contains at least one ofwireless communications device 202 selected from a group comprising aBluetooth communications module, a LAN communications module, a PCScommunications module, a cellular communications module, a GPScommunications module, and an interrogation module. Furthermore, thefuel tank includes at least one sensor module 204, a sensor probeassemblies 206, and actuator 208, integrated circuitry and memorydevices 210, and a power supply 212.

Referring now to FIG. 15 a view of the circuit board assembly containedin the compartment of the deck is shown and described.

FIG. 15 shows the rigid circuit board assembly 162 shown the topcompartment 54 of the deck of the pallet in FIG. 13. The palletapparatus may include a second or more rigid circuit board assemblies,such as the one illustrated in the bottom compartment 56 of the base ofthe pallet in FIG. 13. At least one circuit board includes an RFIDreader/writer interrogator configured to identify a plurality or sub-setof the RFID item tags associated with articles supported upon thepallet, in order to conduct an inventory check to maintain an accuratepallet manifest and record.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the top surface of the pallet is adapted tosupport a load of articles. The RFID reader/writer interrogator ispositioned on the pallet and configured to direct a radio frequencyquery signal to the load of articles in order to establish acommunications link with the RFID item tags affixed to the articles of adynamic pallet load. As seen in FIG. 13, RFID reader/writer interrogator188 is located on the circuit board positioned in the compartmentadjacent to the load surface.

The one or more RFID reader/writer interrogators are also optionally incommunication with RFID pallet tags. A plurality of RFID pallet tags maybe positioned on one pallet. FIG. 14 shows a circuit board with fiveRFID pallet tags. For example, one such tag may be dedicated tomanufacturing, material and recycle information storage. One tag may bespecifically adapted for pallet tracking within the distribution system.The pallet may also host a third RFID device specified by third partiesfor specialized inventory tracking activities within closed-loop orassociated distribution networks. A fourth tag may be developed toconsolidate the data arrays of several tags attached to itemstransported upon the pallet for more efficient data compression andtransfer. A fifth tag may be adapted for interfacing with the RFIDsystem deployed by the trucking industry. FIG. 15 shows a schematic of apower supply arrangement for the RFID pallet tags.

The one or more RFID reader/writer interrogators are also optionally incommunication the RFID beacon tags positioned in RFID networksdistributed along the pathways take by the pallet. The RFIDreader/writer interrogator communicates with external RFID tagsdirectly, and obtains data indicative of the RFID beacon tags from theRFID pallet tags. A pallet position determination can be made when theRFID reader/writer interrogator obtains a radio frequency signal from anRFID beacon tag or the RFID pallet tag obtains a radio frequency signalfrom an external RFID reader/writer interrogator, such as a door wayportal.

As seen in FIG. 14, the circuit board assembly 162 includes anelectromagnetic interference (EMI) shield 141. The EMI shield ispositioned below the support surface and the RFID reader/writerinterrogator is positioned between the EMI shield and the supportsurface. The EMI shield is beneficially positioned to reflect the querysignals from the RFID reader/writer interrogator toward the intendedarticles or sub-set of articles in the pallet load. The EMI shield alsois provided to prevent tag reading interference. The RFID reader/writerinterrogator may also utilize a directional antenna in order to ensurethe RFID reader/writer interrogator can reliably conduct a real-timeinventory of the goods on the pallet.

The RFID reader/writer interrogator may utilize an array of antennas inorder to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags indicative of thepallet load, condition and location. The integrated communicationmodules for connecting the RFID reader/writer interrogator to the LAN,WLAN and cellular networks each contain additional antenna, so that thepallet apparatus can have a dozen antennas if each of the five RFIDpallet tags shown in FIG. 14 have a separate antenna. The RFIDreader/writer interrogator can have an antenna array operating onseveral radio frequencies and the LAN, WLAN and cellular modules canhave more than one antenna for multiple communications purposes.

Any combination of devices could be assembled to provide a pallet with aplurality of IDs and functional properties. A combination of devices canbe situated in a plurality of compartments. From time to time the covercan be removed to access devices within a compartment so that thedevices can be changed to customize a pallet for an intendedapplication. In other cases the compartment is populated with pluralityof devices that operate in multiple operating environments prevalentthroughout the supply chain.

The inventions contemplate using the Internet for the sharing of dataobtained from the devices. The Internet is also used to deliver dataprocessed by a host to the devices. The Internet connection can be maderemotely through an interrogator with a direct or indirect connection tothe Internet or internally by one or more of communications deviceslocated in the pallet.

All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications,U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applicationsand non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/orlisted in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein byreference, in their entirety.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims.

1. A pallet tracking system comprising: a cellular network; a networkhost having means for communicating with said cellular network; a pallettracking device having a circuit board with a communications module forcommunicating with said network host through said cellular network, areader/writer for communicating with an RF tag, and a power supplyproviding power to said communication module and said reader/writer,and; said network host communicating with said pallet tracking device toread an RF tag using said reader/writer and to transmit informationassociated with the RF tag from said communications module to saidnetwork host.
 2. The pallet tracking system according to claim 1,further comprising: said pallet tracking device comprises at least oneof a RFID pallet tag and a LAN communications module for acquiring theinformation concerning a situation where it is placed, in which theinformation acquired and the RF tag information are transmitted to saidnetwork host by the cellular network.
 3. The pallet tracking systemaccording to claim 2, further comprising: a charging section forcharging a pallet user for access to said pallet tracking device.
 4. Apallet used for transporting an article, said pallet comprising: a baseadapted to load an article thereon; reader/writer means for conductingnon-contact communications with an RFID tag put on the article; andportable power supply means for supplying electric power to thereader/writer means, wherein a transmission direction of saidreader/writer means is directed inward above the base, so that acommunication area of said reader/writer means is set to allow reliablecommunication only with the RFID tag of an article loaded on said base.5. The pallet as in claim 4 wherein the communication distance of saidreader/writer means is limited to such an extent that said reader/writermeans would be able to communicate with an RFID tag within the loadingrange in which articles can be loaded above the base.
 6. The pallet asin claim 4 comprising a fork insertion section for allowing a fork of aforklift to insert from a side, wherein said reader/writer means aredisposed circumventing the fork insertion section.
 7. The pallet as inclaim 4 comprising an electromagnetic shield for blocking a radiofrequency signal so as not to communicate with an RFID tag outside thearea above the base.
 8. The pallet as in claim 4 comprising wirelesscommunications means for communicating with an external palletmanagement entity through a wireless network beyond the range of thereader/writer means and a control means for controlling execution ofcommunications with the RFID tag in accordance with an execution commandsignal received from the pallet management entity and transmission ofacquired information to said entity.
 9. The pallet as in claim 8 whereinthe wireless communications means is disposed inside the pallet.
 10. Thepallet as in claim 4 wherein the whole shape of the pallet is composedof plastic and the plastic forms a top surface for supporting a loadthereon.
 11. The pallet as in claim 4 wherein the whole shape of thepallet is formed to accommodate four side walls like a box container.12. The pallet of claim 4 further comprising at least one of a RFIDpallet tag, a reader/writer means further adapted to establish contactwith RFID tags outside said loading range, and said wirelesscommunications means for acquiring information concerning where thepallet is placed.